Roadster © Del Mar Thoroughbred Club DAY 33 SEVEN TO ROLL, BUT NO INSTAGRAND, IN THE FUTURITY A field of seven was entered Friday for the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Futurity, the traditional closing-day...

River Boyne © Benoit Photo Irish-bred River Boyne, who has emerged as the top three-year-old in the West competing on grass after winning five of his last six starts, including Del Mar’s La Jolla Handicap,...

Brill © Del Mar Thoroughbred Club DAY 32 BRILL NARROWLY FAVORED ON DEBUTANTE MORNING LINE Brill drew the No. 2 post position in a field of five and was established as the 8-5 favorite over...

Bellafina © Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Del Mar kicks off its Labor Day holiday weekend of Thoroughbred racing Saturday by presenting a quality-laden eleven-race program, featuring the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Debutante for two-year-old...

Creative Instinct © Benoit Photo Sent postward the 2-5 favorite under jockey Tyler Baze, Creative Instinct didn’t disappoint as she drew off in the stretch to win the featured $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred...

Bob Baffert DAY 31 ONE TOUGH DEBUTANTE? BAFFERT SAYS SO AND HE OUGHT TO KNOW Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has had representatives in the Del Mar Debutante, and race winners, for more than...

Oliver © Benoit Photo Eight two-year-olds bred in California will match strides Friday in the 29th running of the $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes at six furlongs. From the rail out, entrants are Listing, making his...

True Royalty © Benoit Photo Providing leading rider Drayden Van Dyke with his third victory of the afternoon, True Royalty scored a decisive three and and one-half length victory in Sunday’s featured Grade III $100,000...

DAY 30 SADLER, MULLINS SAVOR BIG WINS WHILE WORKING TOWARDS MORE In the winner’s circle after Saturday’s victory in the Pat O’Brien Stakes, John Sadler was asked how special it was to have two horses...

Give Me a Hint © Benoit Photo Seven lightly-campaigned California-bred two-year-old fillies will tangle Wednesday in the featured $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar. The six-furlong sprint attracted Be Lifted Up, Drayden Van Dyke;...

Catalina Cruiser © Benoit Photo Hronis Racing’s talented and unbeaten Catalina Cruiser, the 1-5 favorite under jockey Drayden Van Dyke, emphatically punched his ticket for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Churchill Downs...

Tatters to Riches © Benoit Photo TYLER BAZE (Tatters to Riches, winner) – “Felt good; felt real good. He broke sharp and put me right where I wanted to be. So much credit to Jeff...

DAY 29 SADLER CONTINUES TO SIZZLE IN STAKES, BUT BAFFERT’S MARK IS SAFE The self-described “dream meeting” continues for trainer John Sadler. The victory by Shenandoah Queen in Friday evening’s Tranquility Lake was the sixth...

Shenandoah Queen © Benoit Photo Hronis Racing’s Shenandoah Queen drew off in the stretch under jockey Tyler Baze to win the featured $77,700 Tranquility Lakes Stakes for the second consecutive year Friday. Hustled from the...

Ransom the Moon © Benoit Photo DAY 28 PAT O’BRIEN FIELD IN FLUX WITH STAR SCRATCHES CONTEMPLATED Reigning Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion Roy H and Ransom the Moon, winner of the 2017 and 2018 Bing...

Just Grazed Me © Benoit Photo Unbeaten Just Grazed Me, owned and bred by Nick Alexander in California, will face ten three-year-old filly rivals Sunday in the Grade III $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes at one...

Sheeza Milky Way © Benoit Photo Under a well-judged ride by Hall of Famer Gary Stevens, Sheeza Milky Way, a 9-1 outsider in the wagering, wore down pacemaker Poster Girl in deep stretch to win...

Drayden Van Dyke © Del Mar Thoroughbred Club DAY 27 VAN DYKE CONTINUES ON A ROLL TO AGENT’S QUIET DELIGHT Brad Pegram has been a jockey agent for 20 years. He’s booked mounts for Danny...

Roy H © Benoit Photo Eclipse Award-winner Roy H, Breeders’Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway, two-time Bing Crosby Stakes winner Ransom the Moon, plus undefeated San Diego Handicap hero Catalina Cruiser top a vintage...

Dabster © Benoit Photo Dabster, the 3-5 betting choice under jockey Joe Talamo, gamely fought back when challenged in the stretch for a hard-earned victory Wednesday in the featured $79,162 Harry F. Brubaker Stakes at...